What’s In A Culture? A Critical Examination of Culture and Faith Through a Cinematic Lens of Son of Man (2006)

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, I explore the claim that the film Son of Man (2006) represents a story of “continuity between African culture and Christian faith”. While this statement implies a seamless connection between the two, I argue that the relationship is more complex and fluid. Rather than strict continuity, I propose that the film depicts a process of adaptation, where certain cultural elements are retained while others are discarded. Through analysis of cross-cultural audience responses to Son of Man, I investigate how faith meets with the South African landscape, considering historical and cultural contexts. This examination demonstrates that the film presents a complex relationship between culture and faith, challenging the notion of a straightforward continuity. 1 1 West, “The Son of Man in South Africa?”, 4.